Meloni sets Italy’s line on Iran crisis: no participation in strikes, push for diplomacy and domestic unity

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has set out Italy’s position as tensions surrounding Iran ripple across Europe and the Gulf, saying the country is not at war and will not take part in military actions, while urging de-escalation, tighter domestic vigilance, and a unified stance in Parliament on national security.

In recent televised remarks, Meloni said Italy is not part of the conflict with Iran and does not intend to be, even as the government prepares for the knock-on effects at home and in the economy. She condemned Tehran’s attacks as unjustifiable and said the overriding objective is to prevent the crisis from spreading. She added that she had updated the head of state on developments and opened direct contacts with leaders in the Gulf. Meloni also said she was not given advance notice of the strikes that preceded Iran’s response, and noted that a base in Kuwait housing Italian personnel was hit during the exchanges.

Meloni framed the turbulence in the Middle East within a broader erosion of international law, which she linked to Russia’s assault on Ukraine. She aligned herself with the view that legal norms have been breached, while stopping short of a categorical endorsement or condemnation of the initial strikes on Iran, and reiterated that no European country is taking part in the conflict. She appealed directly to the opposition for a single, shared resolution on national security, arguing that this is a moment to close ranks around core interests as the government works to keep the crisis contained and to revive diplomacy.

At home, Meloni said there are no specific security alarms at present but described Italy’s posture as highly mobilised on a preventive basis. The government has also moved to cushion households and businesses from any price shock. Italy’s energy regulator has activated a task force to monitor energy prices, and the industry ministry has deployed its consumer-price monitoring system to track unjustified increases, with particular attention to fuel and food. Meloni said the government is studying a flexible fuel excise mechanism and would consider higher taxes on companies found to be profiteering, with proceeds used to ease utility bills.

Economic and supply concerns have been escalated to Palazzo Chigi, where the government convened energy stakeholders, including major infrastructure operators, to review contingency options for the power and gas system. Officials said work is underway on a package of measures in case market conditions deteriorate.

The crisis has also sparked diplomatic friction. The Russian embassy in Italy publicly rejected Meloni’s contention that the breakdown in international rules stems from the attack on Ukraine, blaming instead what it called Western duplicity and invoking past military interventions. Rome has not responded in kind to the embassy’s assertions, maintaining its focus on de-escalation, the security of Italian personnel abroad, and coordination with European partners.

What happens next will depend on the military and diplomatic tempo in the Gulf and the wider region, and on whether energy and transport disruptions become entrenched. In Rome, the government is pressing for parliamentary backing on national security, keeping price monitors in place, and insisting that the crisis be kept from widening beyond its current theatres.